Synchronous electric clock and the like



March 13,1934. A.-L. M'ANSFIELD SYNCHRONOUS ELECTRIC CLOCK AND THE LIK Filed Jan. 3a 19735v- Patented Mar. 13., 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFic/E Arthur L. Mansfield, Bristol, Conn., assigner to The E. Ingraham Company, Bristol, Conn., a

corporation Application January 3,

8 Claims.

' 10 isted and confusion vhas occurred on the part of the user.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a synchronous electric time-instrument having relatively few finger-buttons or like means for its control, etc.

A further object of my invention is to provide asynchronous electric time-instrument having unitary means for both setting its hands, or other indicating means, and starting its synchronous 2c motor.

Other objects will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, taken in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawing.

2,5 In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of one form which a. synchronous electric clock movement embodying my invention may assume, the combined.starting-andsetting member being shown in its normal retired or inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a view thereof in edge elevation, with the finger-button removed;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view. corresponding to Figui but showing the combined starting-andsetting member in position for setting the clock and in position preparatory to being released for starting the motor;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the unitary starting-and-setting member detached; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the supporting-bracket detached. The particular synchronous electric clockmovement herein chosen for the illustration of my invention includes complementary front and rear movement-plates 10 and 11 respectively coupled together in spaced relationship by means of pillars 12.

Mounted intermediate the movement-plates 10 and,11 is a synchronous electric motor consisting in the main of a stator-structure including complementary toothed pole-arms 13 and 14 energized by a usual electromagnetic coil 15 and having interposedbetween their respective opposed toothed faces a peripherally-toothed rotor 16 of magnetic material and mounted upon a rotor- 1933, serial No. 649,881

`(ci. ss-zs) shaft 17 journaled at its respective opposite ends in the front and rear movement-plates 10 and 11. It may be here stated that the stator-structure just described exerts no appreciable selfstarting torque upon the rotor 16 and that the latter must be manually rotated until it falls into synchronism with the pulsations of the alternating current supplied to the coil 15.

Mounted upon the rotor-shaft 17 about midway the length thereof is a pinion 18 meshing into and driving a gear-wheel 19 having staked to its forward face a pinion 20 and jointly mounted therewith for rotation upon a stud 21 rearwardly offsetting from the front movement-plate 10. The pinion 20 just referred to meshes into and drives a gear-wheel 22 mounted upon an arbor 23 with freedom for rotation with respect thereto. The said arbor 23 is journaled at its respective opposite ends in the front and rear movement-plates 10 and 11.

The wheel 22, above referred to, has staked to its front face a pinion 24 which meshes into and drives a seconds-wheel 25 staked upon a centeror seconds-arbor 26 lforming a usual feature of synchronous electric clocks. 'Ihe forward end of the seconds-wheel 26 just referred to carries a usual sweep-seconds pointer 2'?.

The seconds-arbor 26 has staked to it a pinion 28 meshing into and driving a gear-wheel 29 staked upon the arbor 23 before referred to for positively turning the same. The said arbor 23 has staked to it, adjacent its forward end, a pinion 30 meshing into and driving a. minute-wheel 31 mounted upon and frictionally-coupled by means of a friction-washer 31 to the rear end of a minute-sleeve 32 to turn freely upon the seconds-arbor 26 before referred to. The minutesleeve 32 just referred to carries at its forward end a usual minute-hand 33.

Immediately forward of the front movementplate 10 the minute-sleeve 32 has secured to it a usual cannon-pinion 34 meshing into and driving a dial-wheel 35 to which latter is staked a pinion 36 which, together with the said wheel 35, is mounted with freedom for rotation upon a stud 37 forwardly offsetting from the front movement-plate 10.- The said pinion 36 meshes into and drives an hour-wheel 38 rigidly mounted upon the rear end of an hour-sleeve 39, which latter turns loosely upon the periphery of the minute-sleeve 32 and carries at its forward end the usual hour-hand 40.

The above-described parts constitute a synchronous electric clock-movement of more or less usual construction.

Meshing into the gear-wheel 22 is a gear-wheel 41 rigidly mounted at the rear end of a sleeve 42, which latter rigidly carries at its forward end a toothed impulse-wheel 43. The unit comprising the wheels 41 and 43 and the sleeve 42 are mounted for rotation upon a stud 44 rearwardly offsetting from the front movement-plate 10.

Arranged in line with the impulse-wheel 43 just above referred to is a combined and-setting rod 45 mounted with capacity for both reciprocation and rotation in the complementary arms 46-46 of a sheet-metal bracket 47 riveted, or otherwise secured, as at 48 to the rear face of the front movement-plate 10 in in position to have its arms 46-46 rearwardly oil'set therefrom. At its outer end the rod 45 carries a knurled finger-button 49 by means of which it may be both reciprocating and rotating, as will hereinafter appear. The extreme inner end of the rod 45 has staked to it a toothed setting-wheel 50 extending laterally through a clearance-opening 51 in the front movement-plate 10 in position to have its teeth engaged, when desired, with the teeth of the dial-wheel 35 before referred to, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Intermediate its respective opposite ends and between the arms 46-46 I rigidly mount upon the rod 45 an annular projection or impulse-collar 52 having its annular edge chambered to mesh between the teeth of the impulse-wheel 43 when axially moved for that purpose, as will hereinafter appear. Interposed between the impulse-collar 52 and the innermost of the bracketarms 46 is a helical impulse-spring 53 encircling the rod 45 and exerting a constant effortv to move the same, together with the parts organized therewith, axially outward into a retired position, in which the impulse-collar 52 is clear of the impulse-wheel 43, and the setting-wheel 50 is similarly. disengaged from the dial-wheel 35.

Presuming that current is flowing through the coil 15, so as to Vmagnetically energize the polearms 13 and 14 of the synchronous motor, the rotor 16 and hence the clock-movement may be started and the minu and hour-hands 33 and 40 respectively properly set by sliding the starting-and-setting rod 45 inwardly against the counter urge of the spring 53, so as to engage the impulse-collar 52 with the impulse-wheel 53 and also engage the setting-wheel 50 with the dialwheel 35. l The parts will now have assumed the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 3.

With the combined starting-and-setting member (comprising the parts 45, 49 and 50) moved into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3, an appropriate turning movement upon the iinger-button 45 will serve to set the minuteand hour-hands 33 and 40 of the clock through the intermediary of the dial-wheel 35. Thesetting o1' the hands 33 and 40, as just referred to, takes place independently of the major portion of the time-train and of the rotor, owing. to the fact that the minute-sleeve 32 is frictionallyand hence yieldingly coupled to the minute-wheel 31 and may be turned relatively thereto. A

After theclock has been properly set, the iingerbutton 49 may'be released, whereupon the spring 53 will assert itself and move the rod 45 rearwardly with the eifect of causing the impulse-collar 52 to impart a clockwise rotary impulse to the impulse-wheel 43, andv since the latter is connected (through the intermediary ot the parts 42, 41, 22, 20, 19, 18 and 17) with the rotor, the latter willthereby have imparted startingelement and movable to to it a counterclockwise rotary impulse, after which impulse the said rotor will continue to run under the synchronous torque afforded by the pole-arms v13 and 14.

'It is obvious that instead of employing the spring 53, or equivalent spring-member, for irnparting the impulse to the rotor 16 upon the release of the combined starting-and-setting member, the rotor may be started by manually moving the rod 45 by means of its finger-button 49. From the foregoing, it will be clear that by means of my invention, the user of a synchronous time-instrument is enabled with the utmost facility to both set and start the instrument with the minimum of uncertainty and confusion. i It will be understood vby those skilled in the art that my invention may assume varied physical forms Without departing from my inventive concept, and I, therefore, do not limit my in-l vention to the specific embodiment herein chosen for illustration.

I claim:

1. In a synchronous electric time-instrument, the combination with a synchronous electric motor, including a rotor having a starting-wheel associated therewith; of settable indicatingmeans yieldingly coupled to said rotor and driven thereby, and a setting-wheel associated with said settable indicating-means; and a manually-operable starting-and-setting rod carrying a setting-element and movable to engage said settingelement with said setting-wheel to set said indicating-means, and said rod carrying a startingcause said startingelement to engage and rotate said starting-wheel to start said rotor.

2. In a synchronous electric time-instrument, the combination with a synchronous electric motor, including a rotor having a starting-wheel associated therewith; of settable indicatingmeans yieldingly coupled to said rotor and driven thereby, and a setting-wheel associated with said settable indicating-means; and a manually-operable starting-and-setting rod carrying a setting-element and movable to engage said settingelement with said setting-wheel to set said indicating-means, and said rod carrying a starting-element and movable to cause said startingelement to engage and rotate said starting-wheel to start said rotor; and spring-means associated with said rod to move the latter to cause said starting-element to rotate said starting-wheel.

3. In a synchronous electric time-instrument, the combination with a synchronous electric motor, including a rotor having a starting-wheel associated therewith; of settable indicatingmeans yieldingly coupled to said rotor and driven thereby, and a setting-wheel associated with said settable indicating-means; and a manually-operable starting-and-setting rod having its 1ongitudinal axis located in a plane extending in substantially the same general direction as the plane of said starting-wheel and carrying a setting-element and movable to engage said setting-element with said setting-wheel to set said indicating-means, and said rod carrying a starting-element and movable to cause said starting-element to engage and rotate said starting-wheel to start said rotor.

4. In a. synchronous electric time-instrument, the combination with a synchronous electric motor, including a rotor having a starting-wheel associated therewith; of settable indicatingmeans yieldingly coupled to said rotor and driven thereby, and a setting-wheel associated with said isl settable indicating-means; and a manually-operable starting-and-setting rod having its longitudinal axis' located in a plane extendingin substantially the same general direction as the plane of said starting-wheel and carrying a settingelement and movable to engage said setting-element with said setting-wheel to set said indicating-means, and said rod carrying an annular starting-element and movable to cause said starting-element to engage and rotate said startingwheel to start said rotor.

5. In a synchronous electric time-instrument, the combination with a synchronous electric motor, including'a rotor having a starting-wheel associated therewith; of settable indicatingmeans yieldingly coupled to said rotor and driven thereby, and a first setting-wheel associated with said settable indicating-means; and a manually-operable starting and setting rod mounted 'for both rotary and axial movements; a second setting-wheel carried by said rod and rotatable thereby for rotating said first settingwheel to set said indicating-means; said rod also carrying a starting-element and axially movable to cause said starting-element to engage and rotate said starting-wheel to start said rotor.

6. In a synchronous electric time-instrument, the combination with a synchronous electric motor, including a rotor having a starting-wheel associated therewith; of settable indicatingmeans yieldingly coupled'to said rotor and driven thereby, and a first setting-wheel associated with said settable indicating-means; and a manuallyoperable starting-and-setting rod mounted for both rotary and axial movements; a second setting-wheel carried by said rod and rotatable thereby for rotating said first setting-wheel to set said indicating-means; said rod also carrying a starting-elementV and axially movable to cause said starting-element to engage and rotate said starting-wheel to start said rotor; and

spring-means associated with said rod to move the latter to cause said starting-element to rotate said starting-wheel.

7. In asynchronous electric.timeinstrument, the combination witha synchronous electric motor, including a rotor having a starting-wheel associated therewith; of settable indicatingmeans yieldingly coupled to said rotor and driven thereby, and a iirst settingwheel associated with said settable indicating-means; and a man-` ually-operable starting-and-setting rod having its longitudinal axis located in a plane extending in substantially the same general direction as the plane of said starting-wheel and mounted for both rotary and axial movements; a second set-- ting-wheel carried by said rod and rotatable thereby for rotating said first setting-wheel to set said indicating-means; said rod also carrying a starting-element and axially movable to cause said starting-element to engage and rotate Isaid starting-wheel to start said rotor.

8. In a synchronous electric time-instrument, the combination with a synchronous electric motor, including a rotor having a starting-wheel associated therewith; of settable indicatingmeans yieldingly coupled to said rotor and driven thereby, and a `rst setting-wheel associated with said settable indicating-means and a manually-operable starting-and-setting rod having its longitudinal axis located in a plane extending in substantially the same general direction as the plane of said starting-wheel and mounted for both rotary and axial movements; a second setting-wheel carried by said rod and rotatable thereby for rotating said first setting-wheel to set said indicating-means; said rod also carrying an annular starting-element and axially movable to cause said starting-element to engage and rotate said starting-wheel to start said rotor.

ARTHUR L. MANSFIELD. 

